I’m passionate about empowering women and helping to close the gender gap in senior leadership. 

I spent 18 years in tech and biotech sales, holding positions as a VP and EVP, Sales. Along the way I introduced many brand new technologies to market, built a commercial organization from scratch, and scaled a hyper-growth team to achieve 9 digit revenue growth in 2 years.

Despite this success, I struggled for years with my transition from Manager to Director to VP, and even asked myself if I was cut out to be a senior executive.  

Finally, I ‘figured it out’ and had the confidence, knowledge and skills that I needed to be an impactful leader. 

My mission at Insights to Action is to help others get there by sharing what I’ve learned.

I want to use my passion to help more women transition to senior leadership and help leaders make that leap from unsure and unfocused to strategic, decisive and outcome driven - all without burning out. My goal is to help women thrive as executives, instead of merely surviving. 

I would love to work with you on your journey and look forward to connecting!

Read about what some of my clients are saying: https://www.insightstoactioncc.com/testimonials

Katy McFee

I help women become execs and thrive in leadership - Former Exec | Certified Coach | Forbes.com contributor

At Insights to Action I help female execs and aspiring female leaders become the leaders they want to be and thrive as executives all without burning out. 

I offer group coaching programs for women looking to break through to executive leadership and 1:1 immersive executive coaching for current execs who want to level up and show up as the amazing, effective leaders they know they can be, while still living a life they love.

I hear, "Women don't advocate for themselves"
 
And my thought is "Why the heck would we?"
 
Growing up, we were called bossy when we showed leadership
And praised for keeping our mouths shut and sitting quietly...
 
Later, we were told that our value was in our appearance 
And not in what we had to say...
 
And once we got to the corporate world? 
 
We faced the likeabilty backlash and the ambition penalty

If you haven't heard these terms,
 
This backlash occurs when women: 
- negotiate 
- seek out promotions 
- share their success 
- openly pursue ambitious careers
 
Crazy right? 

But... not advocating is only hurting us
It's costing us opportunities and career advancement

And we need to change the narrative on speaking up
 
If you're a woman, I'm here to remind you: 

You're allowed to be ambitious 
You're allowed to want more money 
You SHOULD advocate for yourself 
 
And you should do it all unapologetically 

✌️💜

♻️ Hit 'repost' if more women need to hear this.

#1 in helping women become VPs and thrive in leadership | Former Exec | Certified Coach | Forbes.com contributor | Host of More Women Promoted Podcast

Ladies, we've been lied to about each other

There's a narrative that all women are competitive and catty,

That we hold each other back,
Sabotage one another,
Tear each other down,

That we're all just a bunch of mean girls

And honestly, I don't see it

I've spoken to so many successful women 
Who credit female mentors and sponsors for their success

It was almost always other women who helped them reach the C-suite

And my experience with women is no different

Sadly, when I was in leadership I didn't really know any more senior women to be my mentors and sponsors

But when I was new to the world of entrepreneurship
I had no network. Nada. So I put myself out there....

And I've met so many new women over the last few years
Who have helped me create a successful business

They've all been inspiring, supportive, and encouraging

In fact, I'm friends with women who are technically my direct competitors
And we help one another!

We cheer each other on
And we all grow

I've built a community of women in my private membership
And these women are one another's biggest cheerleaders

So let's stop spreading this narrative

Because most women want to lift one another up

Are there some bad apples?
Of course!

There will always be some women (and men) who don't support
Who sabotage each other or hold others back

But it's a minority

And this narrative isn't helping anyone
Certainly not women

So I vote we change it

Who's with me? ✌️💜

PS. If you haven't been lucky enough to have supportive women to guide your career, you're in the right place. 

A bit part of my mission is the communities of women I create - communities that let you level up, hit your goals AND find your tribe. If you want to learn more, send me a DM. 

*I didn't know any of the women in these photos 4 years ago!

Things I didn't do this morning:
- read
- meditate 
- cold plunge
- visualizations
- intermittent fast
- start my day with lemon water instead of coffee

And despite my less than perfect morning…

I'm still ‘successful’. 

Don't get me wrong, all of the things on that list are wonderful ways to start your day

If you start your day like this, kudos to you!

But we're all in different seasons...

In this season of my life, 
I exercise and meditate in the morning 5 days a week

And one day a week I take a total break from my routine (usually Sunday)

As for the rest of the list....
Maybe one day, but for now 3 kids and 2 dogs keep me busy enough ;)

And here's the thing:
For almost all of my professional career
I didn't do ANY of these things in the morning

My only goal was to get everyone fed and out the door alive

And yet, I've been able to build a great life that includes professional success.

My point is this:
If you've yet to master the 'perfect' morning routine, 
Don't beat yourself up.

There are many ways to start your day and still be successful, 
Whatever that may mean to you.

In case you need to hear this, I’m officially giving you permission to cut yourself some slack 

You're allowed to choose a huge coffee and couch hang over being productive on this beautiful Sunday
✌️💜

Let's normalize a max number of meetings a day

Let's make it 4. Maybe 5. MAX. 

If someone already has 5 meetings in their calendar, you can't book another one

Because if we REALLY want to promote mental health and avoid burnout

We can't also ask people to do workdays with 10 back-to-back meetings

I've been there.

12-16 meetings in a single day

No time to eat. 
No time to get your actual 'work' done.
And when the day is over, your head is spinning.

Too many women I know spend their whole day in meetings
And do their actual work in the evenings

That's bullshit.

Let's just stop doing that to people.

Who's in? ✌️💜

Hit 'repost' to spread the word

It's easy to forget just how far you've come

Because too often, as soon as you hit a goal,
You create a new one... a little further away

You celebrate for a moment
And then you're back at it

I was thinking about my own journey recently and it really hit me

I grew up a shy little girl who just wanted people to like her
In highschool, I couldn't give a speech in front of my class without turning beet red and losing my breath

When I think about how proud past me would be if she were here,
It puts things in a whole new perspective

What if we measured our success by how much we've grown,
And everything we've accomplished in our own life...

Instead of worrying about what other people are doing?

That little girl in you doesn't care that your neighbour has a nicer car,
Or that you're not everything in life perfectly.

That little girl in you is just so damn proud of what you've become ✌️💜 

____________________________________________________

I'm Katy McFee, former VP and EVP turned leadership coach. I help women smash the glass ceiling and thrive as senior leaders. DM me to learn how I can help you, too.

I flew to Dublin from Canada for the weekend 

Seems crazy for a weekend, but it was 100% worth it to me

Why? Because there is nothing like spending time with the right people

There's nothing more valuable than finding your tribe
And allowing them to challenge and support you

It's been hard for me to find these people
Most of my longtime friends can't relate to my business, ambitions or challenges

And you may wonder why that matters
But I really believe it does. Especially for women

Because there are so few of us:
- With big ambitions
- In senior levels of leadership
- Running 7-figure businesses

And not only is that lonely AF
It also puts us at a disadvantage strategically

I came home from the weekend with new clarity into what I needed to do
And answers to some of the challenges that I've been struggling with

Not only that - my cup was overflowing ❤️ 

I'm curious - have you found your tribe?
Give a shoutout to your work or business besties!
✌💜 

__________________________________

I'm Katy McFee, former VP and EVP turned leadership coach. I help women land first-time VP roles and thrive as senior execs. 

If you're a VP or C-level executive who's been trying to find your tribe, DM me to learn more about a unique, invite-only group I'm creating.

Red flags I ignored for YEARS:

- Getting sick regularly, and getting VERY sick at least 1-2 x a year
- Needing coffee to wake up and wine every night to decompress
- Dry skin patches on my face
- A 10cm ovarian cyst

The writing was on the wall... I was headed for burnout,

And I didn't even realize it.

Because I didn't recognize that these were all signs of too much stress in my life

When I eventually did burn out, it was brutal
I was not my normally happy, energetic self
 
In fact, I was more mentally fragile than I'd ever been
And I didn't know how to snap out of it.

This was not something that could be cured with a week in Mexico. 
In fact, it took over a YEAR to get back to myself.

I'm sharing this so you don't make the same mistake I did and ignore the signs.

Other common signs to watch for are:
- having difficulty sleeping
- heart palpitations
- GI issues

Was it worth sacrificing my health just to make someone else a bunch of money and hope for a promotion?

No, my friends, it was not.

Life is short. Your career is long. 
Put yourself first. ✌️💜

Follow me Katy McFee for more posts on women in leadership

__________________________________________________

Hi, I'm Katy. I'm a former VP and EVP who's on the mission to close the gender gap by helping women land their first VP role and thrive as executives. Follow me for more posts on women in leadership

The long-term impact of a toxic boss is SCARY

The problem is, you keep telling yourself:

"6 more months and I'll look for something else"
"It's really not that bad..."
"I can't make this kind of money anywhere else"

But you don't realize that the impact of working in this type of environment follows you long after you leave

Even once you're in a new job with a great boss...
Or you have that promotion you've dreamed of...

You're doubting yourself.

You're holding back from making decisions and wondering if you're any good at your job.

What's going on?

All of those times your boss made you feel inadequate left a mark,

Each time you were undermined or devalued... 
Those events chipped away at the confidence you once had.

And now you - the person who used to be so confident - wonder if you're cut out for this...

I have seen this happen to SO MANY people.
And it takes a lot of work to get that confidence back again.

This is a friendly reminder that if you're in an unsupportive, toxic work environment, 
It's not worth sticking it out for another year.

Your self-worth is just more important.

And if you're in the scenario I've described above, know you're not alone.

Recognizing the root cause is the first step to working through this and regaining your confidence ✌️💜

♻️ Hit repost to spread the word.

My friends, here's the cold, hard truth:

No one cares about your career as much as you do.

Certainly not your manager. 

Yet I still hear people complain that their manager isn't helping them get promoted.

If you leave your future in someone else's hands,
You'll likely end up disappointed.

It's up to you to make the future you want happen. 

But here's the silver lining:

No one else SHOULD be deciding your path, 
because you're the one who has to live it!

I've had smart, talented people working for me, who wanted ME to map out their career path

That's just NOT a good idea

Because you and I may be passionate about very different things.
You may hate doing the same things that light me up
And vice versa

Can your boss help you identify strengths and weaknesses?

You bet.

But you are the one who needs to create the vision for your career 
AND make it happen.

That may mean investing in your development outside of work
It may mean finding a new mentor or coach
It may even mean a new job

The first step is to take radical accountability for your career.
The second is to aim as high as your heart's desire.

And if landing a director or VP role is part of that vision, 
And you're not sure where to start
Book a free strategy call with me personally here: https://lnkd.in/dqAvbyu9 
✌️💜

PS. I rarely offer these calls, but my salesperson is on mat leave, so here's your chance ;)

_____________________________________________

I'm Katy, former VP and EVP turned executive coach. I'm #1 in helping women land that first-time VP role and thrive there, without burning out. Follow me for all things women in leadership.

There are 2 types of people in this world:

Those who end the year with 20 unused vacation days
And are constantly being told they need to use them or lose them

And those who use every single vacation day they get

I, my friends, am the latter

I always have been

I remember talking to a friend of mine, also in leadership

She was talking about how her company was going to pay out her vacation because she had far too many days that she was never going to able to use them

I was sharing that I often used my days faster than I accrued them
I had a young family, and it was important to me to take time off and create memories with them

And here's the thing: we BOTH ended up becoming executives
And we both had successful careers

The reason I share this, is that as women, we put WAY too much pressure on ourselves

We think we need to do it all, and never get a break
We try so hard to ensure we're seen as committed

But ladies, depriving yourself of time off or vacations does not guarantee you an exec role

In fact, I'd argue they aren't even related

You can go through life like my friend did, never taking a day off
Or you can take every day you get

And you can be successful either way
So choose what's right for you ✌️💜

I'm headed to Mexico today with one of my besties - we do this girls trip every year and it is SO worth it! I'll be back in a week, walking slower, cup full.

My boss thought I'd never be a VP

Guess what? He was wrong.

6 months later, I was rocking a VP role. 
And doing it well. 

What changed?

3 things changed my trajectory:

1. I worked with a coach

This person was ultimately the one who helped me see that I was in the wrong place.

I've learned over the years that coaching almost always gives me a 10X return. 
This is just one example of it. 

2. I changed my mindset

By that point, my confidence was shot. I had stopped believing that I was a great executive, and that was impacting how I was showing up. 

I needed to work through that before it was going to happen for me.

Once I did that, a new opportunity practically fell into my lap.

3. I got support

I didn't try to figure this out on my own. I asked for help. I asked for feedback.

I created my own 'personal board of directors' so I could bounce ideas and get support. 

The company I joined as a VP was already crushing it, but needed sales culture, some good processes, and the right people and structure.

This is where I came in. 
And we achieved 9-digit growth over 2 years.

Imagine I had given up...

This is your friendly reminder that sometimes you're just in the wrong place.

And also, that coaches are awesome ;) ✌️💜

You'll never get promoted to VP with director-level habits
 
This is something many people miss
Because when we think 'habits' we usually don't think about our habits at work
 
But these small, automatic behaviours may be communicating that you're not ready for that next level
 
Things like:
Documenting decisions vs. documenting logic
 
Or asking for resources vs. framing the trade-off
 
In today's newsletter, I share 5 habits that signal you're VP-ready (or not)
 
And I break them down to clearly explain the difference between the director-level habit and the VP-level habit
 
If you're looking to step into a VP role
This may be game-changing for you
 
Happy reading ✌️💜

The following is an excerpt from my FREE Weekly Insights Newsletter. Subscribe now, and you’ll immediately get the full article delivered to your inbo

Open article: 5 Habits That Signal You're VP-Ready by Katy McFee • 3 min read

I've been there. 
Staying in a role, 
Working my a$$ off
Hoping for a promotion that never comes.

If you're wondering whether to stick it out or move on, there are 5 signs your boss isn't planning to promote you:

1. Limited feedback
If you ask for feedback and all you get is, "Keep doing what you're doing" this is probably not a good thing!

If your boss sees potential in you, they'll share constructive feedback to help you get better 

Tip: Ask your boss to provide you with more specific feedback about what they see as your next role, and how ready you are. 

2. No stretch assignments
Stretch assignments are often a way for your manager to see how you operate at the next level. 

If you aren't getting anything outside of your scope, this might be a sign that they aren't thinking of you. 

Hint: Ask for a stretch assignment if it's not being offered. 

3. Absent career conversations
If you aren't talking about your career progression, there's a good chance they are not thinking about it. 

Tip: Take the initiative and bring up this conversation. 

4. Short-term focus
A lack of long-term focus can mean that you're seen as temporary and not as a long-term prospect within your organization or team. 

Tip: Have a conversation about your longer term goals at the company, and engage your manager in supporting you. 

5. No investment in your development
If your manager is not investing in your growth and providing resources or training to help you get better, it may be a sign that they aren't trying to develop you for the next level.

Tip: Take matters into your own hands! If your manager won't invest in you, invest in yourself. 

Remember, you don't have to wait for your boss to decide your future. 

You can take control and initiate a career development conversation. 

You might not be on their radar today, but you can change that! 

✌️💜

5 signs your boss is not going to promote you

You speak up, volunteer for high-profile projects and present confidently
 
You're known and liked... but still getting passed over
 
What the heck is going on??
 
I was thinking about this recently, because I talk a lot about the importance of creating visibility
 
And I realized that there's a key element I've been leaving out:
The type of visibility matters
 
Most women toggle between reactive visibility and performative visibility
 
And neither of these are going to get you what you want
 
In today's newsletter, I break down the 3 types of visibility
And explain why visibility itself isn't the goal - leverage is
 
Happy reading ✌️💜

Open article: Visibility Is Not the Goal - Leverage Is by Katy McFee • 2 min read

Here's the big secret I wish I knew as a director

When I was frustrated and headed towards burnout:

Manager and director level is the #1 place people get 'stuck'. 

The challenge for me, and so many others is that what got you here, 
Is NOT what will get you to the next level.

In fact, what got you here is exactly what will keep you stuck. 

What do I mean?

Early in your career, you're rewarded for being a strong executor. 

Work hard, 
Do the right things, 
Execute flawlessly 
And you'll be successful.

Many people continue to run this same playbook, and then wonder why they can't get promoted past a manager or director level.

But what no one has told you, is that at the director/VP level
You're expected to suddenly have a very different set of skills.

Focusing on execution is no longer what makes you successful

Now you need to think about your function on a broader level, 
You need to be strategic in how you approach ideas and exercise the right judgement.

You need to be thinking more, and doing less. 

Not everyone can make this jump
But for most people, once they learn the new way, they're able to start showing up as a leader who has space, focuses on the right things, and gets promoted. 

If you're struggling here, I want to personally invite you to my workshop happening at 12pm ET TODAY. Check out the comments for the sign up link.

Remember, executing the same playbook that got you promoted to manager is not going to get you to the next level.

Less doing 
More thinking.

You got this! ✌️💜

"I'm SO busy!" "Back-to-back meetings all day!" "Work's crazy!"

These statements have become a badge of honour.

Can we talk about healthy boundaries?

As someone who was not always great at this, I get it.

It's easy to feel like you just need to push through this next month or quarter, 
And then things will start to ease up.

I told myself the same thing for years.

But here's the thing, they never actually ease up.

Just as in your personal life, it's important to set boundaries in our professional lives.

This may look different for different people - the key is to decide what works for you

Here are a few ideas:

- Blocking off your lunch hour to take a walk outside
- Starting your morning intentionally and not looking at email until 9am
- Fully unplugging from work on the weekends to focus on yourself
- Setting a maximum # of meetings per day and sticking to it
- Eating dinner with the family every night, no phone

Life is short. Your career is long. Put yourself first. ✌️💜

Which of these are you implementing?

_____________________________________________
♻️ Repost to help others!

I'm Katy, former EVP turned leadership coach. I help women get their seat at the table and thrive there. Follow me for all things women in leadership.

Being too 'productive' held me back from promotions

And most of the women I know get caught in this trap too.

I get it... You're the person who gets sh!t done!

When something needs to get done, 
Everyone knows they can give it to you 
And trust that you won't drop the ball...

You crank out work like no one else
And take pride that your output is so much more than that of your colleagues

So then, why did that last promotion not go to you??

This was me, and it's so many of the women I know.

Here's what I learned (the long and painful way):

Output doesn't get you promoted

Sharing the right insights and demonstrating exec-level judgement does

And a big part of that is ensuring people know the value you're bringing

When the women in my program learn this
They quickly go from indispensable and appreciated (but stuck)
To getting tapped for that next VP role

Want to learn how? 
I'm doing my most-loved workshop live, one week from today:
From Invisible to Influential: The 4-step recognition framework

Grab your spot here: https://lnkd.in/dkkusymd 

You're doing the work, so let's get you recognized. ✌️💜

I went from never unplugging to multiple vacations a year

And let me tell you, I'll never go back!

But for years, I was so afraid to unplug.
Although I took vacations, I was constantly on Slack and email.

I was rarely fully present.

If this sounds familiar, I get it.
I see you. I WAS you. 

It can feel as though priorities are never-ending 
And there's never a good time to take a vacation.

So, here are 5 things I learned in the last 20 years that I hope will make you think:

1. No one at work notices when you spend your whole vacation working. Seriously. 

And even if they do, it's soon forgotten. 

2. No one remembers the length of your mat leave. If you choose to cut it short out of guilt (I'm mostly thinking of my Euro and Canadian ladies here), no one will really remember long-term. 

So take the time you want.

3. The only people who will remember you working that whole vacation? Your family. 

And guess what? They're the ones who care more about you than anyone in the world. 
And they'll never lay you off.
Prioritize them. 

4. People who are rested and take breaks/ vacations are more focused, creative, and productive. 

Believe it or not, showing up as your best self at work is easier when you take breaks.
Take breaks daily. Schedule vacations.
Consider it a strategy. 

5. Delegating to your team not only frees up your time, it also allows them to gain visibility and recognition.

Make work better for both of you and give up some damn control. 

Tomorrow I fly home from my favourite place to vacation in Mexico
I spent the week doing a bit of work, but mostly doing:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Sound baths
- Cacao ceremonies
- Eating amazing food
- Hanging with my bestie

And I have my next 3 trips planned already
Some business, some pleasure, and all because I love it.

Anyone else? ✌️💜

__________________________________________________

Hi, I'm Katy. I'm a former VP and EVP who's on the mission to close the gender gap by helping women land their first VP role and thrive as executives. Follow me for more posts on women in leadership

Have you heard of the simplicity anchor?

Because it may change the way you communicate!

The idea is this:
When we use plain, clear language, we're seen as more intelligent, credible and trustworthy.

On the other hand, when we use big, complex vocabulary or jargon, the opposite is true!

How many of you are trying to use big, fancy words or buzz phrases to sound smart?

I've known many people who do this

But you should know that it may be backfiring!

And this intuitively makes sense to me...

When the cognitive load is low for the listener,
(meaning, it's easy for them to understand what you're saying)

They can focus on the great points you're making,
Instead of trying to decipher WTF you're talking about

So here's the take-home lesson:
- If you want your ideas to be better received
- If you want to be seen as intelligent and credible
- If you want to build better trust with your colleagues

Clear over clever is the way to go.

Believe me when I say,
Your great ideas can speak for themselves 
But first, people need to understand you ✌️💜

Ever notice that work has taken over your life?
 
You know what I mean. When your dedication to your team and your job turns into:
 
- Spending the whole time you're at the park with your kiddo texting your boss
- Jumping back on your laptop after dinner to get work done
- Putting off that morning workout (again) to get an early start on emails
- Trying to watch Netflix with your partner, but your brain is solving that issue from work
 
The question that so many high-performing women like me have is this:
 
Is this just an inevitable part of becoming an executive?
 
Many people believe it is.
I disagree.
 
So in today's newsletter, I'm unpacking why this happens and what we can do instead.
 
If you're overwhelmed and overloaded, you don't want to skip this one!
 
Happy reading ✌️💜

Open article: Is work taking over your life? by Katy McFee • 2 min read

Helping high-performing moms excel l CEO & Founder @ Career Mama l Follow for Leadership, Career, and Working Mom insights l LinkedIn Learning instructor

Shivani writes a weekly newsletter with 12,500+ subscribers. She provides practical and vulnerable advice to help you excel at work, combat imposter syndrome, get buy-in from difficult stakeholders, and advocate for yourself. 

Shivani is the CEO & Founder of Career Mama, a leadership program to help high-performing moms get promoted while being present with their kids (virtual). It is a Fair Play recommended resource. Participants are from top companies including Google, Uber, and Salesforce.

Highlights:
↳ High-performing women at Fortune 500 companies have been promoted 3.7x faster than their peers after being coached by Shivani. Technology companies report their participants have 98% retention.
↳ Featured in the Wall Street Journal, Lenny's Newsletter, Forbes, and First Round Review.
↳ LinkedIn recognized her as the Top Voice for Leadership. Shivani is a LinkedIn Learning instructor. 
↳ Harvard MBA and former Product Leader in Technology
↳ Mama to Reya & Kobe 

Subscribe to the newsletter (free): https://careermama.com/newsletter

Email shivani@careermama.com for business enquiries.

Shivani Berry

She fled a war zone at 15. 
Then she proved AI couldn't recognize Black women's faces — and Google fired her for it.

Timnit Gebru grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Her father, an electrical engineer, died when she was 5.
Her mother raised her alone.

At 15, war broke out.
Her family was deported. Forced to fight.

She fled to Ireland. Then applied for asylum in the U.S.
"It was miserable."

She landed in Massachusetts as a refugee.
Started high school knowing almost no one.
Some teachers refused to let her take AP classes. They didn't think an African refugee could be a top student.

She proved them wrong.

She got into Stanford.
Earned her PhD under Fei-Fei Li, the "AI Godmother."

Then joined Google to co-lead their Ethical AI team.
She did the work no one wanted to do.
She proved facial recognition failed Black women 35% of the time.
She exposed bias hidden in the algorithms.

Then she co-wrote a paper on the dangers of large language models.

Google told her to remove her name.

She refused.

They fired her. By email. While she was on vacation.

2,700 Google employees signed a letter in protest.

Congress demanded answers.

She didn't go quiet.
She built something new.

Today?
↳ Founder of DAIR: an independent AI research institute 
↳ TIME's 100 Most Influential People 
↳ Fortune's 50 Greatest Leaders
↳ Co-founder of Black in AI

"I'm not worried about machines taking over the world. I'm worried about groupthink and arrogance in the AI community."

She didn't shrink to make them comfortable.

She told the truth — even when it cost her.

To drive much needed change.
---
♻️ Repost to inspire someone who's been silenced.
🔔 Follow Shivani Berry to see my next post about women speaking truth to power.

$8 an hour. Government housing. Single mom. 
32 years later: CEO of Ulta Beauty. 
1,500 stores. $11.7 billion in revenue.

Kecia Steelman started her career 
making $8 an hour at Target. 

She was 20. A single mom. 
Living in government housing 
in Mediapolis, Iowa. 

No executive connections. 
No Ivy League degree. 
No one mapping her career path. 

"I have a PhD in life," she said. 
"I was poor, hungry, and determined." 

She worked the floor. 
Learned the business from the ground up. 
And kept showing up. 

For 12 years, she rose through Target. 
Then moved to Home Depot. 
Then Family Dollar. 

At one point, she was passed over 
for a major promotion. 

Most people would've been bitter. 
Kecia chose different. 

"You can either be bitter 
or you can be better," she said. 

She chose better. 

In 2014, she joined Ulta Beauty 
as SVP of Store Operations. 
Then COO. Then President. 

And in January 2025 — 
32 years after that $8/hour job — 
she became CEO. 

Today? 

↳ CEO of the largest U.S. beauty retailer 
↳ 1,500+ stores. $11.7B in revenue 
↳ TIME Women of the Year (2024) 
↳ Leads 35,000+ employees 

And the thing she's most proud of? 
Identifying other women 
with what she calls the "it factor." 

"That's one of the best days at work 
for me," she said. 
"When I identify someone and help them 
break through." 

She didn't have a five-year plan. 
She didn't have a mentor pulling strings. 

She had a next step. 
And she took it. 
For 32 years straight. 

You don't need the whole map. 
You just need to keep moving. 

---
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She came to the U.S. with no English and less than $20. 
Today, she’s known as the “AI Godmother,” who built the foundation of $390B AI industry.

Fei-Fei Li came to the U.S. at 16.

Her parents worked as cashiers.

She cleaned houses and waitressed for $2 an hour.

"We were just in survival mode."

Her high school math teacher noticed her. 
He saw something no one else did.

He lent her money, so she could buy her parents a dry cleaner.

She ran that business for 7 years. 
Through Princeton. Through her PhD at Caltech. 
She answered customer calls between classes.

Goldman Sachs offered her a job. She said no. 
McKinsey offered her a job. She said no.

She had a different dream.

In 2006, she started building ImageNet. 
15 million images. 22,000 categories.

The largest visual database ever created. 
It taught machines to see.

Without it, ChatGPT, Claude, modern AI wouldn't exist.

Today? 
↳ Known as the "AI Godmother" 
↳ Director of Stanford's AI Lab 
↳ Founder of World Labs — valued at $1B+ 
↳ TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI

She went from survival mode to shaping the future.

The struggle isn't a detour. 
It's the training ground.

---
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42 years old. No healthcare background.
She became the youngest woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company.


Sarah London wasn’t groomed for the role.

She came from consulting.
From fixing messy systems.
From making complex businesses actually work.

That’s why Centene chose her.

Because Centene didn’t need another insider.

It was a $100B+ company. Serving 28M people

Across dozens of acquisitions
Under regulatory pressure
Drowning in complexity

They needed someone who could simplify.

So she stepped in.
She cut noise.
Exited distractions.

Made the hard calls fast.
Choose focus over comfort.

No theatrics.
No grand speeches.

Just decisions.

Today?
↳ One of the largest healthcare platforms in the U.S.
↳ Millions rely on it every day
↳ Led by the youngest woman ever to run a Fortune 500 company

Sarah wasn’t hired for her résumé.

She was hired for the problem she could solve.

That’s how real leaders get picked.

---
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Her career collapsed overnight.
Then, she became CEO of a Fortune 500 energy company worth $30B.

That’s the trajectory of Lynn Good, CEO of Duke Energy Corporation.

Her career started at Arthur Andersen, once one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the world.

Then the Enron scandal hit.

The firm dismantled.

Entire careers were thrown into uncertainty, including Lynn.

It didn’t break her.

She decided to pivot.

And moved into energy.

The industry was tougher, slower, and more regulated than any other.

Less glamour.
More consequence.

She took on the roles closest to the core:
Finance, strategy, operations, risk.

She stayed with the hard problems long enough to be trusted with the biggest ones.

Years later, she broke the glass ceiling.

Today, Lynn’s impact looks like:

↳ $30B+ annual revenue
↳ ~8 million customers served across the U.S.
↳ Net-zero carbon target by 2050, with staged emission cuts across the grid
↳ Large-scale investments in renewables and grid modernization
↳ Reset operational and safety culture after a major environmental crisis
↳ Made hard capital calls (cancelled a multibillion-dollar pipeline project)

Lynn also serves on the boards of Boeing, The Business Roundtable, and the Edison Electric Institute.

Her defining moment wasn’t the CEO title.

It was starting over, and rising anyway.

That’s true leadership.

Refusal to surrender.

----

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